Philomena

THE GIST: Suddenly out of a job, a former journalist is asked to look into (and write a story about) a woman who, as an unwed teenager, had her baby taken away from her and given up for adoption by the nuns of the convent where she was forced to stay and work for years. The duo start searching for the truth and the whereabouts of what would now be a fifty-year-old man, all the while getting to know one another. They end up uncovering some long-buried secrets and will have to make some hard choices.

Philomena is a heartwrenching movie to watch at times, but given that it's based on a true story, it's all the more worth watching.

Steve Coogan, Sophie Kennedy Clark, Mare Winningham, Barbara Jefford, Ruth McCabe, and Michelle Fairley do a great job, but it's the wonderful Judi Dench who makes this movie memorable with her performance, which was nominated for a Best Lead Actress Oscar.

The film also scored Best Picture, Best Screenplay, and Best Score Academy Awards nominations.

THE BOTTOM LINE: A touching drama that will make you root for both its protagonists. Watch it.

Grade: 8